Refrigerated counter



Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM C. WHITCHEB, OF m8, IICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB T THE DRY-KOUD BE- IBIGEBATOB (10.,.01 MICHIGAN', .A C0IBE0RA.'.1II0NA 0l' HIGHIGAN :Buscaralma'ran coUN'rEza My primary' objects are to provide a construction of refrlgerated counter, or cabinet, whereby suc'h a circulation of vcooling lair is produced therein as will prevent the 3 deposition of moisture on the glass portion of the front wall of the counter; to provide for substantially uniform circulation of the cooling air throughout the space to be refrigerated withresultant equalization of the temperature therein; to increase the eiliciency of"V the lrefrigerating medium emplo ed; to `provide, l a construction which sha be devoid-of air-trapping pockets; to provide forl the accomplishment of the purposes stated in a construction in which the refrigerating medium is within the space in the counter through whichthe cooled air-is caused to circulate; and other objects jas.

will be manifest from the following descripgo tion. c

Referring to the accompanying draw- Figure 1 is a perspective view of 'a counter construction constructed in accordance g5 with my invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken throughthe counter of Fig. 1, the section being taken at the vline 2-2 on Figfl and viewed in the direction of the arrows; and Figure 3, a broken plan o view of a structure o the compartment to'be refrigerated.

The particular illustrated embodiment of my invention comprises a base, com artment,.portion 3 forming av support or 'a counter portion 4 `to be refrigerated. p

The counter portion 4 is formed of a framework 5 which, if desired, may be formed of double walls spaced apart with insulating material interposed therebetween, the frame 5 being shown as provided with openings 6.alon its rearwardly and upwardly inclined ont portion 7, openin 8 at opposite ends 9 thereof, openings 10 one only of which is shown,) along its top wall 11, and openings 12 in' the upwardly and forwardly inclined upper portion 13 of the rear wall 14 of the counter, the lower portion of which latter and represented at 15, is substantially vertical. The openings 6, 8

ortion of the bottom-forming' and 12 are glazed, as represented at 16, 17 and 18, respectively, the glazing at each of said openings comprising a plurality of paralle panes of glass spaced 'apart to prfovide air spaces therebetween,- in accordance with the common practice in vconstructing glazed refrigerator structures.

The openings 10 are provided for receiving slidingdoors 19 the opposed longitudinal edges of each of these openings containing tongues4 20 in which a pair of glazed doors offset from each other are shdably confined at metal lined grooves 20l therein, these doors permitting of access to the interior of the counter.

`The inner surfaces of the rear wall portion 14V and the bottom portion 21 of the counter, are lined by sheeting 22, as for example of metal, the rear substantially horizontal portion 231of, the sheeting 22 being located yin a plane slightly lower than the `'front portion-24 thereof, with an intervening upwardly extending connecting portionV 25 forming a shoulder, extending -at the juncture o these relatively oset` ortions ofthe sheeting and extending lengtli) the counter.

' vThe counter also' contains, in vertically spaced relation to the sheeting 22,1a parti-v tion-formin plate portion which divides vthe space wlthinthe counter into an upper compartment 26 to receive the.v articlesto be displayed and refri erated and a lower compartment 27 in w ich the refri rating medium hereinafter referred to,- is ocated. The partition structure referred to is shown as comprising plate portions 28 supported at their rear edges on brackets 29 secured to the upwardly extending rear portion of the sheeting 22 and at their front edges on a vertically disposed plate portion 30, also forming a part of the partition-forming structure and located substantially in vertical alignment with the, shoulder 25 and Supported at its lower edge ony an vangle noun-31 secured in. any suitable way to the ends lof the frame 5 cf the counter.u .The

wise of v partition-formingr structure alsol 'comprises v a'platelportion 32 which preferably inclines forwar l y and downwardly this plate polli@ tion resting at its rear edge upon an outwardly turned ilange 33 on the lower edge of the plate portion 30 and at its forward edge on an angle iron 35 secured to the one of the members of the, frame l5 which extends along the lower edge of the counter at the front portion thereof.

In the particular arrangement shown the plate portion 32 is formed of a series of plate sections arranged side by side, as represented in Figs.' 1 and 3, each of these plate sections at its forward edge being notched, or recessed, between its ends as represented at 34, its ends being downwardly flanged as represented at 32 at which flanges these plate sections rest upon the angle iron 35, each plate section having an upwardly exte4nding ange 32b at the base of the recess 3 i All of the plate portions above described and comprisin the artition-forming structure, extend t roug out the length of the counter except, in'the particular construc- .tion shown, the plate portions 28 which reach short ofeach other at their inner ends to form an opemng which is boxed as indicated .at 36 and opens upwardly through the wall portion 13 of the counter to permit of access to the refrigerating compartment and whichopening would be provided vwith a removable cover.

The partition-forming structure tion to the series of openings 34 at its for-.

ward edge, a servies of openings 40 located 1n the upper edge portion of the plate 30, and elongated openings 39 in the rear edge portions of the plates 28. The plate portion 32 `is also shown as containing a series of openings 41, the series extending lengthwise of the counter, one series bein located substantially midwa between the ront and rear edges of the p ate portion 32 and the other series infront thereof as shown.

Any suitable refrigerating means ma be employed, those shown comprising a tank 42 located in the compartmentortion 37 and in spaced relation to the wal s of the latter, as shown. The tank 42 -isrepresented as supported on angle irons 43 lsecured to the ends of the frame of the counter, its top portion being open and its'front and rear l sides perforated as indicated at 44.- The refrigerating medium is disposed in the tank 42 and may, by way of example, be ice de scribed, in combination with the lower,

frigerated, the cold. air being drawn upwardly, and in this operation, across the inner side of the front of the counter and thence passing backwardly and downwardly and returning to the compartment-portion 37 through the openings 39 and 40, to again become refrigerated therein for circulationv through the refrigerating-compartment 26.

It will be noted that by reason of the provision of the compartmentortiony 38, the cooled air is conducted to suc a point, adjacent the front wall of the counter, that ci rfculation of the air across the rear face of the glazed portions of the front wall of the counter is effected thereby preventing 4the condensing of moisture on these glazed portions, the provision of the series of openings 41, in conjunction with the openings 34, 39 and 40, ensuring the substantially uniform distribution of the cooled air in-the compartment 26. The efficiency of the construction is augmented by providing the comartment-portion 38 of forwardly tapering orm, inasmuch as thereby the velocity of the cooled air in passing through this compartment, for subsequent discharge into the compartment 26, is increased resulting in very actively circulating the air through the com artment 26.

ile I have illustrated and described a particular construction embodying my `invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variousl modified and altered without de arting rom the spirit of my invention. at I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A refrigerator structure comprising a compartment forthe articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment extending along the underside of said first-named compartment with its forward portion vertically constructed, a refrigerating medium -located in the rear portion of said second compartment below said first-named compartment and spaced from walls of said compartvment, the top of said second compartment comp artment,

ture and spaced from the bottom thereof and dividing the space within Said enclosing structure into an u per compartment for the articles to be re rige'rated anda lower compartment, the rearportion of said partition forming a shelfwithin said upper compartment, said partition containing openings adjacent its rear edge portion and its forward edge portion, and a refrigerating medium in the rear portion of said lower compartment.

3. A refrigerator structure comprising an enclosing structure, a'partition in said structure and spaced from the bottom thereof and dividing the space within said enclosing structure -into an upper compartment for the articles to be refrigerated and a lower said upper compartment having a rear wall portion and a top portion, said top portion extending upwardly and forwardly from the upper portion vof said rear wall portion, said partition having a front portion, a rear portion in a plane above said front portion and an intermediate upwardly extending portion the said rear portion of said partition forming a shelf extending beneath lsaid top portion, said partition containing openings adjacent its rear edge portion and in its said intermediate portion, and a refrigerating medium in the rear portion of saidv lower compartment and beneath said shelf.

4. A displ'ay counter refrigerator having a food compartment and a refrigerant compartment below the same and laterally 'substantially coextensive therewith, a partition between; said compartments permitting communication between the same adjacentV the front and rear, and refrigerating means in the lower compartment around which the air circulates, said partition havin a portion extending downwardly and orwardly so that the refrigerant space will be constricted at the front to increase the velocity of flow of air through the refrigerant compartment.v

5. A display counter refrigerator having a food compartment and a refrigerant compartment below the same and laterally substantially coextensive therewith, a partition between said compartments permitting communication between the same adjacent the front and rear, and refrigerating means in the lower compartment around which the air circulates, said partition havin a portion extending downwardly and orwardly so that the refrigerant space will be constricted at the front to increase the .velocity of flow of air through the refrigerantv compartment, said refrigerating means extending above said portion, and said partition having an offset portion spaced from the refrigerating means` and extending from the first mentioned portion to the rear wall of the refrigerator.

6. A display counter refrigerator having a food compartment, a refrigerant compartment below the saune and substantially coextensive therewith, the rear wall of the refrigerator at said compartments having an upright portion and a forwardly sloping portlon extending therefrom toward the top of the refrigeratorna partitionbetween saidv compartments having a downwardly and forwardly inclined portion and an ,upwardly offset portion in the rear 'of the first mentioned portion, said partition having openings therethrough adjacent the front and rear edges whereby the compartments may communicate, and a refrigerating means within the refrigerant compartment and below said offset portion.

7. A display counter refrigerator having side walls enclosing a food compartment and a refrigerant compartment,` said compartments being in communication adjacent said side walls, and the refrigerant compartment being constricted adjacent the .front side wall so as to increase the velocity of circulation of air through the refrigerant compartment.

8. A display counter refrigerator having side walls enclosing a food compartment and a refrigerant compartment, said compartments being in communication adjacent said side walls, and the refrigerant com artment being constricted adjacent the ront side wall so as to increase the velocity of cir-v circulation of air through the refrigerant compartment, and refrigerating means located in the rear portion of said second compartment and spaced from walls of said second compartment, the top of said second compartment being apertured at its front and rear portions to afford communication between said compartments.

10. A refrigerating structure comprising a compartment for the articles to be refrigerated, a second com artment extending along the underside o said first-named compartment with its rear portion of greater hei htlzthan the remaining portion thereof an having a top plate portion forming a support for food within said first-name compartment, and refrigerating means in the rear portion of said second compartment of greater height, said means bein so positioned as to permit of the flow of air downwardly in thevr rear portion of said second compartment, said structurecontaining apertures for communication of said second compartment at its forward end with said first-named compartment and for communication of said first-named compartment with the u per part of the rear portion of said secon compartment.

11. A refrigerating structure comprising a compartment for the articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment extending along the underside of said first-namedy compartment with its rear portion of greater hei ht than the remainin portion thereof and having an aperture to plate portion forming a support for foo within said first-named compartment, and refrigerating means in the rear part of lsaid second compartment of greater height, said means bemg so positioned as to permit of the flow of air downwardly in the rear portion of said second compartment, said structure bein apertured for communication of said secon compartment at` its forward end with said first-namedV compartment.

12. A refrigerator structure having a cmpartment for the articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment,'said second compartment having a top extendin along the under side of said first name' compartment, said top having a forward portion and a rear portion elevated with respect to thev forward portion, and an upwardly extending wall connecting said portions, a refrigerating medium located in said second compartment in the rear of said wall, said forward and elevated portions and said wall having apertures placing the compartments in communication.

13. A refrigerator structure having a compartment for the articles to be refrigerated, a second compartment, said second compartment havin a top extending along the under side of said first named compartment, said top having a forward portion and a rear display shelf por-tion elevated with respect to the forward portion, a refrigerating medium 'located in the second compartment below the rear display shelf portion, and said compartments being in communication with the air entrance to the second com artment bein in the rear vof the elevate displa shel portion so that descendin air wi l pass to the rear of the entire re rigerating medium.

WILLIAM C. WHITCHER. 

